As the Sand Crumbles
by Hatter-Break
Summary: When a mysterious poison plagues the Hidden Sand Village, Mayako is determined to help the Kazekage find the cause behind it, for the sake of the village, and their family.
1. Chapter 1

Hello everyone! I've decided to write a longer fic about Mayako and Gaara as a kind of follow up to the story One Night. This takes place several years later, when they're 26. I'll probably post one shots here and there about their relationship leading up to this time in their lives, but for now this is the ongoing story. As always, feel free to let me know what you think! Happy reading~

* * *

It was late afternoon in the Hidden Sand village, and rays of the hot desert sun were beating down through the windows of the Kazekage's office building. A young woman by the name of Mayako, walked through the halls, holding her small child's hand. Though the four year old's bright red hair was a stark contrast to her mother's raven locks, she shared Mayako's stormy grey eyes. As they neared a large set of doors, the girl broke away from her mother's grasp and ran towards them.

"Daddy!" she exclaimed excitedly. The woman quickly caught up with her and grabbed her around the waist, lifted her up, turned her around, and let her back down.

"No, no Kaho! Daddy is busy right now. We'll come back to see him later, okay?" At her words, Kaho's eyes became impossibly large and watery and her lower lip began to quiver. She faltered for a moment, but wouldn't allow herself to give in, no matter how sweet the face."I know he's been busy a lot lately sweetie, but I promise he'll make time for you," Mayako explained, crouching down to her level, and running a hand through the girl's hair. Hesitantly she nodded, and her mother gave her a warm smile. "That's a good girl. Now, what do you say we go see Uncle Kankuro?" Kaho nodded and, after Mayako returned to her feet, took her mother's hand once more. Mayako cast a glance at her husband's office doors before continuing on. He had always taken his duty as Kazekage very seriously, but for the past couple of weeks he'd hole himself up in his office before she would wake at dawn, and until long after she had gone to bed. She would be lying to herself if she said she wasn't worried, but there was no way she would let Kaho know that.

"Does Uncle Kankuro have new toys?" Kaho questioned, pulling Mayako from her thoughts. She was referring to the puppets Kankuro spent much of his time creating and repairing. They were his specialty. Often, when he would have the time, he would make small, much less dangerous puppets for both Kaho and Shikadai, his sister, Temari's six year old son, though Shikadai was beginning to grow too old to enjoy the dolls.

"I don't know, I guess we'll have to see."

"Okay!" Kaho exclaimed eagerly. She picked up her pace, pulling her mother along towards the room that had been designated as a workshop for Kankuro. When they finally reached it, Kaho used her tiny fist to knock on the door. After a moment, it opened and they were met by a grinning brunet. Mayako was glad to see that he wasn't sporting his face paint today, as that often intimidated Kaho.

"There's my favorite niece!" he greeted, ruffling her hair. She giggled, and hugged one of his legs. "Hey Kaho." She looked up at him expectantly.

"Yeah?" He pointed to the back corner of his workshop.

"Go take a look over there, I have something for you." Without a moment's hesitation, she ran passed him in the direction he had pointed. Both Kankuro and Mayako chuckled at her enthusiasm. "Hey sis," he said, finally bringing his attention to her. She smiled, but her concern was clear on her face. He stepped aside, and gestured into the room. "Come have a seat," he invited. She nodded and followed him inside. When she sat down, she checked to see that Kaho was playing with her present and was confident she wouldn't hear her.

"I don't know what to do Kankuro," she started, her voice thick with a sorrowful frustration. "We sleep in the same damn bed, but it's been days since I've seen him. Ever since I offered to go and investigate the problem myself, he's refused to talk to me about it." She buried her face in her hands. "I don't know what to do…" she repeated. Kankuro's brow furrowed with sympathy, and he rested a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"You know how Gaara is, he's just being protective. Whatever is going on is dangerous, he doesn't want you caught up in that," he explained. She nodded, looking up at him.

"I know that, but he knows I can handle myself. I'm sure he's spoken with you about it," she pointed out. Kankuro rubbed the back of his head, not meeting her distraught eyes.

"Well, yeah, but…" She raised an eyebrow, waiting for him to go on, but he didn't

"You're his brother," she finally said. "He should want to be protective of you as well."

"You're the mother of his child. He's thinking about Kaho as well. He doesn't want her growing up without you." Mayako bit her lip, averting her eyes. She realized that perhaps she was being selfish, but her stance on the matter wasn't about to change. "And sure, losing me would probably devastate him, but losing you… Mayako, if he lost you, I don't know how he would go on." At his words, her eyes began to prick with tears, but she blinked them back.

"Yet he doesn't consider how I would feel if something happened to him? How Kaho would feel if something happened to him?" she snapped back with a little more force than she had intended. "I know he can't be eating properly, and he certainly isn't getting any sleep," she added, more gently this time. Kankuro nodded, folding his arms across his chest.

"It does worry me to see him this way, but he cares deeply about this village. Something is hurting his people, and that's hurting him. You know things won't go back to normal until this is sorted out." Kankuro's dark eyes became clouded with a sympathetic sadness as he spoke.

"I just wish he would let me do something. I feel so helpless right now…" She let out a heavy sigh, her shoulders slumping. They sat in silence for a moment.

"I'll talk to him. I can't make any promises, but I'll see what I can do," he finally said. Mayako nodded, a small smile coming to her features.

"Thank you, Kankuro." He shrugged.

"It's the least I could do for my second sister." Mayako gave an appreciative nod, then got to her feet, ready to leave.

"Well, we'll let you get back to your work. Thank you for the doll. Come on...Kaho." When she looked up to call Kaho over, she found that she was no longer playing in the corner. She quickly scanned the room to see that her daughter was nowhere to be found, but the door was cracked open. "Damn it," she hissed. Kankuro jumped up, panic stricken, ready to run out in search of her, but Mayako stopped him. "It's alright, I know exactly where she went." He seemed unsure, but nodded, trusting her judgement. With that, she ran out of the room and down the hallway, all the while mentally kicking herself for being so negligent. When she reached the Kazekage's office and saw his door ajar, she was both relieved that she had been right, and worried that Kaho had disrupted him. Mayako slowly pushed his door open a little further and entered. It seemed Gaara had fallen asleep at his desk beside piles of reports and paperwork. As she quietly approached him, she saw that Kaho had curled up in his lap, her new doll clutched tightly against her small form, and quickly fell asleep as well. The sight filled her with warmth and allowed her concerns to melt away, if only for a a little bit. She watched them for a moment, torn between allowing him to sleep and waking him, even if only to lead him to their bed to sleep. She leaned over him, gently tracing the kanji for love that he had carved into his forehead when he was a child. "Gaara," she whispered. "Gaara." She brushed a strand of his silky red hair out of his face. At her soft touch, his eyes began to blink open. The dark circles around his eyelids, the only sign of him ever being a jinchuriki that remained, were exaggerated by his exhaustion. He looked up at her, his usually clear blue-green orbs now fogged by sleep.

"Mayako?" he questioned, his low voice somewhat raspy. He sat up slowly, then looked down at his lap as he noticed the extra weight he felt. He smiled, stroking Kaho's hair tenderly. "What are you two doing here?"

"She misses her father," Mayako stated simply. His smile faded at her words. Carefully, he took her in his arms and got to his feet. "Why don't you call it a day for now, and we can come back to this in the morning," she offered. He shook his head.

"You know that's out of the question. I have to figure this out as soon as possible. I have a duty to this village," he argued.

"You're not doing anybody any good if you can't even stay awake, love. You were sleeping anyways, you can get a better rest in your own bed. Please, just-"

"Our people are dying, Mayako. Something, or someone is killing them, and I need to find out what." He spoke sternly in a harsh tone. "I can't help them if I don't do at least that much, so I can't rest until I have some answers."

"Then let me help you, Gaara!" she pleaded.

"We've discussed this, Mayako. You aren't getting anywhere near any of this, it isn't safe." Mayako scowled and looked away from him.

"You seem to be forgetting who it was that fought alongside you in the war all those years ago…" she muttered.

"And you seem to be forgetting that I nearly lost you in that war." She had nothing to say to this. Gaara shifted Kaho so he could hold her comfortably with one arm. He then used his free hand to gently grab Mayako's face and make her look at him. Her defiant grey eyes locked with his cool gaze.

"You know that I know how capable you are as a shinobi, that isn't the problem. We have to think about Kaho as well. She needs you."

"She needs _you_ too," she bit back.

" _I_ need you."

"And _I_ need _you_." This silenced him. He then let out a long sigh, no longer wishing to argue the matter.

"Very well," he gave in. "I'll go home for the day, but I don't want to hear anymore about it after tonight." She nodded, not sure whether she should feel victorious or defeated. He let go of her face and pulled her to him in a warm hug, kissing the top of her head. "I love you, Mayako, don't forget that." She wrapped her arms around him in return.

"I love you, Gaara." As they went to pull away from one another, Kaho began to stir.

"Well hello there sleepy head," he greeted her. She looked at Gaara for a moment before breaking into a grin.

"Daddy!" She threw her arms around his neck, accidentally dropping her doll. Mayako bent down to pick it up and waited for their hug to end before offering it back to Kaho. She quickly took the doll, then looked at Mayako. "Mommy, I'm hungry." Both Mayako and Gaara let out an amused laugh.

"Why don't we go and make dinner as a family?" she suggested, casting a glance at Gaara.

"I think that sounds like a wonderful idea," he agreed, giving her a slight nod. Kaho nodded, rubbing her tired eyes. Mayako smiled, taking Gaara's free hand, and together they left the office.

* * *

Mayako stood in the kitchen, finishing up the dishes that were left from dinner. Over the sink running she could hear Kaho laughing and screaming with delight. She shut the water off and put the dish down before walking over and leaning against the kitchen doorway to see what was happening in her living room. Gaara had used his sand to form small, much less frightening replica of the one-tailed beast, Shukaku, which was now chasing their daughter around the room. After a moment, he squatted down and the mock tanuki beast chased her straight into his outstretched arms.

"I've got you!" he declared, scooping her up.

"You saved me, Daddy!" she said excitedly as he carried her over to the couch and sat down.

"Silly Kaho, I'm much more dangerous than he is," Gaara said with a serious face. Kaho's eyes widened, and before she could scurry from his lap, he was upon her, tickling her mercilessly. She squealed with endless laughter, bringing him to grin and let out a laugh as well. Mayako couldn't help but smile. He stopped to give Kaho a chance to catch her breath, then looked up to see that Mayako had been watching. He gave a cheerful smile as Kaho stood up, balancing on his legs. She contemplated for a moment before tackling him, wrapping her arms around his neck as she landed on him. Mayako heard the soft grunt from him as the air left his lungs from the sudden weight, and gave an amused chuckle.

"Alright, alright," she finally stated as she walked over to them. She lifted Kaho off of Gaara, turning her so she could see her face. "I think it's time for someone to go to bed." Kaho immediately began to pout.

"I wanna play more! Please, Mommy?" Mayako shook her head no.

"We can play more tomorrow, okay?" Tears welled in her grey eyes.

"But Daddy won't…" she argued. Mayako opened her mouth to respond, but was at a loss for words. She looked to Gaara for help. His expression betrayed his sadness, but he got to his feet and stood beside them.

"Kaho, I know I haven't been around a lot, but there important things I need to do. I promise that I will play with you as much as you want as soon as I can," he explained gently to her. "For now, listen to your mother and get a good night's sleep." She didn't seem overly satisfied by his response, but she nodded.

"Okay…" she gave in. He kissed her forehead.

"I love you," he told her sweetly.

"I love you, Daddy…" she mumbled, burying her face in Mayako's shoulder to hide her tears. Mayako and Gaara shared an endeared look.

"I'm going to get in the shower quickly," he stated quietly. Mayako gave a nod before carrying Kaho to her room. She laid her down in her bed and sat beside her, stroking her auburn locks. Kaho yawned and looked up at Mayako.

"Can you read me a story tonight, Mommy?" she asked.

"Sorry sweetie, not tonight. I let you stay up late to spend time with your Dad." Kaho nodded, still looking forlorn.

"Will he be home again tomorrow?" Mayako sighed

"I don't know, but I hope so," she said, leaning over and placing a kiss on her forehead, then one on each of her eyelids. This brought a smile to Kaho's face. "I love you, sweet dreams."

"I love you Mommy!" Mayako smiled to herself before getting up to leave the room, closing the door behind her. She went into the kitchen to finish cleaning up the dish she had put down earlier. She then made her way to the room she and Gaara shared. She entered the adjoining bathroom where the shower was running. Mayako went to the sink, pulling her hair out of its usual messy low bun, and started to brush her teeth for the night. As she was finishing up, the water shut off and Gaara stepped out of the shower, throwing a towel around his waist. He came up behind her, hugging her tightly right under her bosom, nuzzling his face into the crook of her neck, his wet hair brushing against her face. He looked at her in the mirror, his pale eyes loving.

"I'm glad you came home tonight," she started softly. He kissed her shoulder then lifted his head.

"I am too." She turned in his arms to wrap her own arms loosely around his neck. She examined him for a moment, and he raised a brow. "Is there something wrong?" Mayako chewed her lip.

"I'm just making sure everything is as I remember. I mean, it has been a while." Her tone was slightly bitter, but not without its usual warmth. Gaara let out a sigh.

"Kaho not getting it is one thing, but I know you understand Mayako. You knew what you were getting into when you-" Without any warning, she took his face and silenced him with a passionate kiss, filled with her longing.

"I know," she said when she finally pulled away from her, now, dumbfounded husband. "I just miss you." Her lips curled with a provocative smile. Slowly, his surprise wore off and was quickly replaced by an aroused anticipation. He lifted her up bridal style, bringing his lips to meet hers again as he carried her to their bed. He laid her down before positioning himself over her.

"I miss you, Mayako" he said by her ear, his low, rich voice sending eager shivers through her body. He nibbled on her ear, then worked his way down to her neck and shoulders.

"I thought I brought you home to sleep?" she teased between gasps.

"Yes, well, maybe you shouldn't get me so side tracked," he growled. She let out a small giggle, thrilled to be his distraction that night.


	2. Chapter 2

Mayako was woken the next morning by the dull thumping of tiny fists on her bedroom door. The sun was just beginning to rise, casting her room in a dim glow. She smiled blissfully as she remembered the night before.

"Gaara," she started. "I think it's your turn to make…" As she turned to wake the redhead, she found his side of the bed empty, and her smile fell. "...breakfast." A sigh escaped her as she sat up. "Hold on Kaho," she called. "Let Mommy get dressed." At her words, the banging stopped. Though she wasn't entirely surprised, she couldn't help but feel disappointed. She got up and got herself ready for the day before heading out into the kitchen, where Kaho was waiting patiently for her breakfast. "What'll be today?"

"Curry!" the little girl demanded.

"Curry, at this hour?" she questioned, trying to hide her disgust at the idea. She didn't like curry much as it was, but having it first thing in the morning was highly unappealing. "How about rice?"

"Rice!" she said, her new answer just as confident as the first. Mayako laughed and ruffled her hair.

"Alright, rice it is. Go get dressed in clean clothes while I make it, please." Kaho nodded and did as she was asked while Mayako began preparing the rice. Once Kaho was dressed and ready for the day, and the rice was finished, Mayako prepared two bowls, one much smaller than the other. She carried them out to the living room with her daughter close on her heels, and took a seat on the couch. Kaho crawled up and settled in her lap, holding her hands out to take her bowl, and the two dug into their breakfast together. "Good?" Mayako asked between bites. Kaho nodded.

"Thank you, Mommy!" Mayako kissed the top of her head.

"So, what do you say we go to the playground today?" Kaho seemed to be contemplating her mother's suggestion, unsure if that was how she wanted to spend her day. "And then after, we can see if Uncle Kankuro wants to have lunch at the ramen shop with us," she added. This seemed to convince her as a smile came to her rice stuffed face and she began bouncing excitedly on Mayako's legs. "We have to clean up first, okay?" Kaho quickly scarfed down the rest of her rice before scrambling down and running her bowl to the kitchen. Mayako finished her own bowl and then joined Kaho by the sink. "You have to help me dry the dishes." Kaho pouted, stomping her little feet.

"Why? I wanna go to the park!"

"I know you do, but we have to get our work done before we play," she explained. Kaho gave a small huff.

"Fine…" As she finished the first dish and passed it off to Kaho to be dried, there was a knock on their front door. Mayako furrowed her brow, not quite sure who it could be. She turned the sink off and went to check the door. Kaho followed close behind, still holding the bowl she had been drying. Upon opening the door, Mayako was surprised to see a familiar face that was half hidden by a piece of cloth.

"Baki! What are you doing here?" she questioned. It had been a while since she had seen the sand siblings' old teacher, and she certainly hadn't been expecting a visit that day. He gave a small bow.

"Lady Mayako," he greeted. "Young Lady Kaho," he added, turning his attention to Kaho, who was hiding behind Mayako's leg.

"Is everything alright?" Mayako questioned wearily, concerned that a visit from a council member could mean something bad had befallen Gaara.

"Everything's fine, for now," he assured her. "I simply came to inform you that the Lord Kazekage would like to speak with you when you have a chance." Her eyes widened and hope filled her chest. Perhaps, she thought, he was going to finally accept her help.

"I can go now, but…" She glanced at Kaho, who stared up at her with curious grey eyes. "Baki sensei, could you possibly watch Kaho for a little bit?" He was taken aback by her request.

"Well, I-I...uhh..." He straightened up. "O-of course Lady Mayako, it would be my pleasure." She gave an appreciative nod, then turned and knelt in front of Kaho.

"Sweetie, you're going to stay with a friend of Mommy and Daddy's for a little while, okay? I'll try to be back as soon as possible so we can go to the playground." She looked upset, but didn't argue. She looked up at Baki.

"Do you have sand?" she asked. Mayako chuckled as Baki was at a loss for words once more. She got to her feet and started out the door.

"I love you Kaho!" she called. "Thank you, Baki!" she added, taking off towards the Kazekage's office.

* * *

"Lord Kazekage!" Mayako called from outside his doors. "Gaara?" she tried after there was no response the first time. When that received no response, she decided to enter the office. She looked around and found that he wasn't in there. She frowned, but decided she would simply wait for him to return.

In the meantime, she walked over and examined his desk. Aside from the usual pictures of his family that he kept, it was almost entirely covered by reports. It seemed he had had them spread out, trying to glean any information from them that he could.

She scanned them, horror welling up within her. She knew things had been bad, but Gaara had kept her in the dark, so she hadn't been aware of just how serious things had become.

Each paper on his desk was a report on someone that had been killed, shinobi and civilian alike, within the past couple of weeks. There were even a few merchants, people not of the Sand, that had been killed on the outskirts of the village. It seems that many had been killed at random, while some had been investigating the crimes. They all shared the same cause of death, which appeared to be an unknown poison, though there were no other hints as to what was behind it all.

The images that accompanied the reports were sickening. Each victim's skin was ghostly pale, stretched over inflamed blood vessels that had been almost completely blackened by the toxin. Mayako ran her fingers over several of the pictures, recognizing a few of the deceased. She bit her lip, the sorrow almost overwhelming, though as she looked on, it began to turn into frustration. With the situation becoming so dire for the village, she couldn't believe the Kazekage wouldn't allow her to help.

"Mayako?" The familiar voice startled her, and she turned to face the doorway. Lost in her thoughts, she hadn't heard Gaara enter the room. "What are you doing?" he questioned sternly, a slight hint of exasperation in his tone. Though it occasionally got under his skin, he had grown accustomed to her lack of formality around him. She scowled.

"Things are this bad, and you still refuse my help? What the hell are you thinking Gaara?" she demanded. He sighed, closing the door and locking it.

"I've refused your help because things have gotten this bad. As I've said, we have no idea who's behind this, nor do we know this person's motives." He gestured towards the reports. "As you can see, several men and women that were investigating, like you've wanted to do, have been struck down. I'm not putting your life in danger."

"I'm a Sand shinobi!" she snapped, angry tears welling in the corners of her eyes. "I've sworn my life to protect this village, just like everyone else. Just like you! If you don't use all of your available resources, you're letting our village down." Her words struck him, and for a moment he looked as though he had been slapped, though he quickly regained his composure. He averted his eyes from her intense stare.

"I realize that…" he said softly. He then met her grey eyes once more. "I spoke with Kankuro this morning. He told me that you had voiced your concerns to him in the hopes that perhaps I'd listen to him over you." Mayako folded her arms.

"It's not like you left me much choice…" she grumbled.

"I know, I realize that as well." Mayako raised an expectant eyebrow.

"Does this mean you're changing your mind?" He gave a nod, and instantly her features softened. She approached him and took his hands in hers. "Gaara, thank you!" she grinned. "So what will I be doing for you?"

"You and a small team of black ops will be taking a sample of the poison to the Leaf village. We have our own people researching it, but I feel that with Lady Tsunade's knowledge, we will accomplish much more," he explained. She nodded, eager to finally be of use to him.

"When do I leave?"

"As soon as we can have preparations done, my hope is for two days from now. There is more, however." Mayako remained silent, waiting for him to finish. He looked her up and down, as if gauging something, then took a breath. "You will be bringing Kaho along, and the two of you will remain with Temari and Shikamaru while the others bring back the findings." Mayako's eyes widened.

"Gaara, you can't be serious?" she questioned, dumbfounded.

"I am," was his only reply. Her hands tightened painfully around his, but he met her glare with his own steady gaze. "This satisfies both of us. You get to help me, and the village, and you and Kaho remain safe."

"I'll gladly leave Kaho with Temari to protect her, but there's no way in hell I'm running and hiding while everyone else here is in danger!" He pulled his hand free from her death grip and took her shoulders.

"If you're a Sand shinobi, then you'll listen to your Kazekage's orders, please," he implored. She shook her head.

"This isn't like you. You always put the village first," she argued.

"I can't focus all of my efforts on protecting our people if I'm worrying about you, Mayako. You and Kaho mean the world to me." Mayako's jaw clenched as she bit back her tears. "You saw those reports. Some of them were killed in their homes while they slept. Depending on this enemy's plans, you two could very well become targets, and I won't risk that." His tone was strong and decisive, leaving no room for debate. This didn't stop Mayako from fixing him with defiant eyes for a moment before finally nodding weakly. His tensed muscles relaxed slightly and he pulled her into a hug. "Thank you, Mayako." She didn't return his hug, she simply leaned against him, listening to his heart pounding in his chest. He really was scared, she realized. It took a lot to unnerve the great Gaara of the Desert, so this only added to her concern. After a moment, he held her away from him."Would you stay with me for a little while?" he asked gently. She looked into his tired turquoise eyes, then nodded.

"I'd like that." He took hold of her chin so he could lift her face and plant a tender kiss on her lips. He led her over to his desk chair, taking a seat, and pulling her on to his lap, wrapping his arms around her.

"Where is my little girl by the way?" he questioned.

"I asked Baki to stay with her while I came here." He laughed a little at imagining Baki dealing with the four year old.

"When this is all over, and the village is peaceful again, I'd like to take trip with you two, to make up for the time I've lost with her. Kaho would love the Cloud village, don't you think?"

Mayako nodded "I think she would, but she'll have to settle for her trip to the playground today. She even gets to go out for lunch," she said playfully as her mood started to lighten. He nodded, looking up at her.

"Could you two come here for lunch instead?" His question brought a smile to Mayako's face. "I mean, if she has her heart set on eating somewhere else, I understand, it's just…" Mayako began to gently tangle her fingers in his red hair, playing with it in a soothing manor.

"I think she'd love to come here for lunch. I was going to treat Kankuro to some ramen, but I can do that another time. I'll put something together for the three of us to eat." She kissed the top of his head. "What would you like?" He thought for a moment.

"Curry?" he asked. Mayako let out a laugh.

"What is with you two and curry?" He blinked, slightly confused. "That's what Kaho wanted first thing this morning." He smiled.

"Well, when her mother makes excellent curry, what do you expect?" She wrinkled her nose up.

"I don't really like curry, how could mine be that good?" He shrugged.

"It just is. If you don't like it, you don't have to make it. Just bring something you two will enjoy, I won't be too picky." She nodded.

"Well, I should get going before Kaho gets impatient and takes it out on poor Baki," she said with a chuckle. She went to get off of him, but his hands shot to her hips.

"Wait!" He pulled her back down, spinning her so that she was straddling him this time. His hands traveled down to rest on her butt, giving a slight squeeze.

"Gaara!" she said with a surprised laugh. He looked up at her with mischief in his eyes.

"Perhaps you could still treat Kankuro to ramen tonight. Send him with Kaho and some money, let her spend a little quality time with her Uncle so you can come back here for a bit," he suggested. She grinned, catching his implications.

"It has been a while since we've used your office…" She leaned down, tauntingly brushing her lips against his. He pressed his face closer to make their lips meet, but she moved, kissing his forehead instead, several strands of her silky black hair tickling his face. "I think I can make arrangements." In doing this, she had left her neck bared to him, faint marks from the previous night tempting him. He tried to bring his mouth to her smooth skin, but she sat up before he could, leaving him high and dry. She slid off of his lap and gave a sweet smile, knowing exactly what she had done. "Kaho and I will be by later with lunch," she stated. "And then tonight, I'll convince you to let me come back from the Leaf village after my mission," she added with a wink.

"That's not going to happen," he warned. She shrugged.

"I have my ways." With that, she left his office. Once out of his sight, her smile fell. She should have been excited to have finally been given something to do in these troubling times, yet her heart was heavy. The idea of hiding in the Leaf felt cowardly, an action unbefitting of a jounin, especially the wife of the Kazekage. Though her influence was nowhere near as significant as his, she still felt it was her duty to be someone that the people could look up to. She let out sigh, knowing she had little choice in the matter. She knew it wouldn't do anybody any good to dwell on it, however, so for now she pushed it to the back of her mind, readying a cheerful face for Kaho.


	3. Chapter 3

Kaho watched impatiently as her mother finished packing up the three lunchboxes. They would be leaving for the playground much later than. Kaho had expected, due to unexpected interruptions. After having spoken with Gaara, Mayako had stopped to see Kankuro on the way home to set up plans for him to watch Mayako that evening. Then, when she had finally returned home to relieve Baki, she had to make the curry for that afternoon's lunch. Though Kaho hadn't been too thrilled about having to wait, she had been absolutely ecstatic when she had been unformed that they would be having lunch as a family. She bounced a little, her small body bursting with energy that she couldn't quite contain.

"Come on, come on. Hurry up, Mommy!" she urged Mayako. She chuckled at her daughter's enthusiasm.

"Alright, alright, we're going." Kaho threw her hands up, letting out a delighted hollar before running towards the door. Mayako grabbed the lunches and followed close behind. The playground was only a short walk away from their home, and they made it there in no time at all. Mayako took a seat at a nearby bench and watched, amused, as Kaho ran up to two children, who were fastidiously working on sand castles, and began going on proudly about all of the sand castles Gaara had made for her. With a sigh of contentment, Mayako leaned her head back to allow the sun's warmth to soak into her face. She opened her eyes and admired the clear blue sky. Such a nice day was rare in the village, as there was almost always some degree of wind to pick up and throw sand every which way. 'If only things were as peaceful as they appeared,' she thought to herself.

"Mayako?" A kind, familiar voice pulled her from her thoughts. She turned to see a brunette, only a few years younger than her.

"Matsuri!" she greeted, surprised to see the kunoichi. She had been a student of Gaara's, and often babysits Kaho when Kankuro isn't available. Though at times, she could be a somewhat flighty girl, she had grown into a fine shinobi, and one of the most fiercely loyal people in all of the village. She took a seat, watching Kaho, who had now moved on to the swing sets, for a moment.

"She seems to be doing well!" Matsuri noted with a warm smile. Mayako chuckled.

"Yeah, full of energy as always. She's been a real trooper lately." Matsuri looked over at Mayako, slightly confused.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, with as busy as Gaara's been, he hasn't really been home," Mayako explained. Matsuri looked saddened.

"Poor thing, I take it she's missing her dad?" she questioned as the realization hit her. Mayako nodded.

"She is, but she's been so understanding about the whole thing, maybe even more so than me," she said with a small laugh, only half joking. Matsuri laughed as well.

"Well, you and Lord Gaara have been close for as long as I've known you. With team like you two, I'm sure things will return to normal in no time!" she said cheerfully. Mayako averted her gaze, her smile becoming forced.

"Yeah, we'll figure it out…" she agreed weakly. "So, Matsuri, when did you get back?" she questioned, wanting to change the subject. "I thought you were away on a mission?" She nodded.

"I was, but Lord Gaara requested I return to the village. He wanted me to help one of the teams responsible for investigating the recent...incidents," she explained. Her words pierced Mayako's heart like a shard of ice. In trying to avoid the topic, she had made it worse. to Despite this, she gave the girl an encouraging pat on her shoulder.

"It's awfully brave to take on such a task, things are dangerous right now." Matsuri nodded solemnly.

"Yes, but it's nothing compared to the danger you're facing." Mayako's brow furrowed.

"Oh, and why is that?"

"You've heard the rumors, I'm sure. People think an anti-Kazekage group is resurfacing, and that all of these murders are just to rile the village up and weaken their support for him," she explained. Gaara had mentioned his concern for his family becoming targets, but he had failed to mention any such rumors of things as extreme as the anti-Kazekage groups. This news just added to Mayako's frustration. "If that's true," Matsuri continued, "as his wife and daughter, aside from Lord Gaara himself, you and Kaho are in the most danger." Despite herself, Mayako maintained her strained grin, mocking optimism.

"I'm not terribly worried about myself. As far as Kaho's safety, you know Gaara and I will do anything in our power to protect her." Matsuri seemed reassured as she gave a nod. Before their conversation could continue any further, somebody could be heard calling for Matsuri from a distance

"Matsuri!" the voice repeated. They looked around and saw a young woman with long black hair waving her arm somewhat frantically. "Where have you been? I'm starving!" Matsuri jumped to her feet.

"Shoot! Sorry Mayako, I was supposed to be meeting Yukata for lunch. I'll see you around!" With that, she took off towards her teammate. Mayako waved after her for a moment, before returning her attention to Kaho. Her daughter was now attempting to climb the jungle gym dome, but seemed to be struggle slightly due to her diminutive size. With a chuckle, Mayko got up and walked over to her.

"Need a hand sweetie?" she offered. Kaho adamantly shook her head as she stretched for the next bar.

"I want to do it!" she insisted.

"Okay, but let me know if you want help." With determination in her eyes, she continued her attempt. Mayako watched proudly as her little girl made it to the top by herself. Kaho was wearing a huge, excited grin.

"I did it, Mommy, I did it! Look how high up I am!" she cheered.

"I see! You did such a great job Kaho!" As the girl looked around, her smile slowly fell. "What's wrong?" Mayako questioned, noticing this.

"I don't know how to get down…" Mayako held her arms out.

"Jump, I'll catch you!" She hesitated, but the Kaho closed her eyes and leapt the short distance from the jungle gym to her mother's arms. Mayako caught her and spun her around, earning some entertained giggles. "Now what do want to do?" she a asked as she put her down.

"Lunch!"

"Already? We just got here, are you sure?" Kaho nodded. "You just want to see your father, don't you?" She nodded again, more vigorously this time. "Okay, okay. We'll get going then, let me just grab the food." With Kaho behind her, she grabbed the bento boxes she had left on the bench, and they started towards the Kazekage's office. Kaho skipped ahead for a few minutes until her little legs became tired, and she fell back to walk beside Mayako. They made a turn down a side street, a shortcut that Mayako often took as it was far less crowded than the main road. As they had turned, another woman had come down the, otherwise empty, side street as well and was now walking towards them. She was a blonde and appeared to be about Mayako's age, walking with a slight hop in her step. She seemed to be in high spirits. As friendly as appeared, something about her made Mayako feel uneasy. She pulled Kaho closer to her as she neared them. To Mayako's displeasure, she stopped and squatted in front of Kaho.

"Hi there! Aren't you a cutie!" she greeted. Kaho scooted right up against Mayako's legs, clearly nervous.

"Thank you," Mayako said, her tone short. The woman looked up at Mayako with deep violet eyes. Her wide grin put Mayako even more on edge.

"She looks just like her dad," she stated. Mayako's brow furrowed with suspicion. "It's a shame for her really, but I guess it can't be helped."

"What are you-" Suddenly, a presence she had been unable to sense before was upon her. She quickly scooped Kaho up and jumped, the lunches she had prepared clattering to the ground, as she narrowly dodged the kunai that had been swung at her. She landed gracefully, spinning around to face her attacker. The woman that had come up from behind looked a great deal like the first, but she was older, her hair was longer and her eyes were a piercing red.

"Mommy…" the shaken Kaho whimpered.

"It'll be okay sweetie, Mommy won't let them hurt you," she reassured, setting her daughter down behind her before readying her own kunai from the holster on her thigh. "Who the hell are you?" she demanded. They shared a look before the younger of the two began to laugh.

"That doesn't matter right now, you won't last much longer after all. My big sis got you!" she said, her tone eerily cheerful.

"Now, now. You know it would have been more fun as a surprise," the older of the two women said. Her voice was cold, and hinted at her cruelty. Mayako, confused by their words, looked at her left side where the elder sister's kunai had originally been aimed, and was surprised to see that she had been grazed. She wasn't concerned, however. It was just a small scratch, and she felt absolutely no pain from it. She brought her focus back to the enemy before her. They were simply standing there, making no moves to attack.

"Kaho, stay behind me!" She ordered. Her dominant left hand tightened around her kunai, ready to block any attack as she built up chakra in her right. She then slammed her right hand down to the ground before her.

"Earth style: earth wave jutsu!" The sandy earth bulged beneath her hand before rushing towards the women. As she had hoped, they jumped to avoid being knocked over by the wave, giving them little room to avoid her next move. "Earth style: rock pillar spear!" Using the earth in the clay architecture of the Sand's buildings, Mayako formed large spikes that protruded on either side of the women, attempting to skewer them. She caught the younger sibling's thigh and shoulder, and she fell to the ground with an agonized cry. The older sister managed to skillfully avoid injury, instead grabbing the spikes and swinging down to land beside her fallen sister. Mayako smirked. "And you thought a little scratch would stop me?" The woman shook her head.

"No, I know it will." Mayako glared at the woman, irked by her overconfidence, but she seemed unphased. She could feel Kaho fearfully gripping the back of her clothing, and wished to finish things quickly. The enemy, however, seemed unconcerned. She turned to her injured sister and began to use a medical ninjutsu to heal her wounds.

"Keep your eyes on your opponent!" she demanded, ready to leap at the woman, but as she took the first step she was hit by a sudden wave of dizziness. She stumbled, unsure of what had just happened. She had only used a small fraction of her chakra, and she hadn't sustained any other injuries. Her head began to spin, her vision became blurry and her ears were starting to ring. She wondered if it could be a form of genjutsu.

"What...what did you...do to me?" she questioned, her breathing becoming uneven as a thin layer of sweat coated her skin. Within seconds, her legs gave out on her, and she collapsed.

"Mommy!" Kaho screamed, terrified to see her mother hit the ground. She tried to sit up, but to no avail. She could hear the, now healed, younger sister let out a cackle, but it sounded warped and far off. Footsteps approached her, and through her darkening vision she could see that she was being passed by.

"Stay away from her!" She tried to muster the most threatening yell she could, but it came out weak.

"Mommy!" Kaho screamed again. She then began shrieking. "Mommy!"

"Stop struggling," the older sister's harsh voice said. "Let us go." Mayako desperately willed her body to move, but she was quickly losing strength and her consciousness was fading.

"Kaho!" she called, her voice coming out as hoarse a whisper. "Kaho!" She could do nothing but listen to her daughter's screams for help as her mind faded into nothingness.


	4. Chapter 4

Gaara rubbed his tired eyes then ran a hand through his hair, slumping back in his chair with a sigh. He had been reading and rereading every report, searching for anything he could have missed. He was growing increasingly frustrated with the lack of evidence they had to go off of. He wanted more than anything for this to be over so he could go home to Kaho and Mayako knowing his village was safe. He sighed again.

"Please be lunch time soon," he quietly urged, glad he could at least spend that time with his family. He got to his feet, deciding it would be best to give himself a break from staring at the graphic images and grim papers. He stood at the window, looking out over the Hidden Sand, trying to settle his busy mind. He then walked to the corner of the window where he kept a couple of the cacti he had raised. He noted to himself that they would both need more water soon. He had to be sure not to neglect these two, as he was waiting on them to flower. He needed that little spot of brightness in his office right now, especially knowing that soon, his family would be away in the Leaf.

"Excuse me, Lord Kazekage!" Gaara turned. The voice sounded slightly frantic, and he worried that perhaps there had been another murder. The door swung open, and in came a young chunin. He was panting, and his eyes were wide.

"What's" happened?" Gaara demanded, no doubt in his mind now that something was terribly wrong.

"It's Lady Mayako, sir," he started. "She's been admitted into the hospital!" Gaara's eyes widened. The news hit him like a slap to the face. The shock quickly faded and was replaced by an intense fear in the pit of his stomach. He didn't allow the chunin any opportunity to explain as he rushed out of the room and ran towards the hospital. His thoughts were quickly turning to the worst possible scenarios and the panic gripped him even tighter. The village went by in a blur as he ran on autopilot. When Gaara finally arrived at the hospital, much later than he would have liked, he burst through the doors.

"Where is she?" he demanded as a nurse approached him.

"Lord Kazekage!" she exclaimed nervously, knowing exactly who he was asking about. "She's stable for now, but we've just finished extracting a strong poison from her system. She needs to rest," she explained, trying to calm the flustered man down.

"I need to see her," he insisted. "Please take me to my wife." The woman sighed, giving in, unwilling to argue with the Kazekage. She quickly took him down the hall to a room that was guarded by two jounin. They stepped aside with a formal nod to allow him to enter. "Mayako!" He was by her side in an instant. She was unconscious, but he was relieved to at least see her breathing steadily. He kissed her forehead, then scanned the room. His relief was short lived as a horrifying realization struck him. He spun back towards the door and grabbed one of the jounin guards. "Where's Kaho? Where is my daughter?" Both men were shocked to see the usually stoic man so frantic.

"Sh-she wasn't found with Lady Mayako, sir!" the first guard said quickly.

"Both of you are dismissed, I can guard her. Gather your teams, search every inch of the village and the outskirts." His orders were delivered in a cool manner, though panic cause his voice to tremble slightly. "Get word of the incident to Kankuro as well. His units will be useful in the search. Find my daughter." Both men nodded and took off. Gaara closed the door and returned to Mayako's side, knowing there was little else he could do until he heard what had happened from her. He took her hand, letting out a shaky breath. "Please, Mayako, I need you to wake up…"

* * *

The sun was starting its slow descent over Sunagakure, casting a red glow over the village. Mayako's head was pounding and her ears were ringing. Her eyes fluttered open, but quickly closed again as they were stung by the florescent light that greeted them. She felt as though she was waking up with the worst hangover she'd ever experienced, and let out a miserable groan.

"Mayako!" The voice that called to her was soothingly familiar. She turned in the uncomfortable bed she found herself in, facing the direction of the voice. She dared to open her eyes again, blinking as they adjusted to the harsh light.

"Gaara?" she questioned groggily as her gaze focused on a pair of concerned green eyes behind red bangs. "Where…" As she began to question her location, earlier events began to rush back to her, flooding her with an intense panic. She bolted straight up, ignoring the wave of nausea that hit her, and grabbed Gaara's coat. "Kaho! We have to get Kaho!" she exclaimed frantically. "They took her! Gaara, we have to find her! I have to go and-"

"Mayako, calm down," he said, trying to keep his composure despite his own emotions. He took her hands, hoping it would settle her down, but she continued to stare up at him, her grey eyes wide.

"Gaara, I have to find her!" she repeated.

"Right now, you need to rest. I have all of the units I can spare, including Kankuro's, out looking for her," he explained. "Lay back down, please." She shook her head, tearing her hands from his grasp and shifting to get out of the hospital bed.

"Mayako!" he snapped sternly, but he was ignored. Using the sand kept in the gourd on his hip, he quickly restrained her, forcing her back down to the bed.

"What the hell, Gaara?" she demanded, tears now streaming down her face. "This is our daughter, don't you care?"

"Of course I care!" The unexpected anger in his tone left her speechless. It wasn't like him to display his anger. "Mayako, I've never been more frightened in my life," he continued, his tone softening now that he was sure that she would listen to him. "I'm as desperate as you are to get Kaho back, but I can't do that without getting information from you first, and I certainly won't allow you to go out looking for her, not right now. You were poisoned, Mayako. Thankfully, the doctors determined it was a weaker poison than what these people have been using, so I don't believe it was their intent to kill you." He folded his arms across his chest as he spoke, clearly agitated. Mayako scowled up at him for a moment.

"It was two blonde women," she finally started. She wanted to argue, but she knew it would only waste time that they didn't have to waste. "I think they were sisters. The youngest was around our age. I believe the older one was a medical ninja." As she spoke, her breathing became unsteady as panic welled within her once more. "I've never seen them before, but they knew you were her father." His brow furrowed and his expression became grim.

"This is exactly what I was afraid of…" he muttered. Her information wasn't nearly what they needed, but it was all they had. "Did these women give their names at all?" she shook her head. He sighed. "It's more information than we had before at least." Confident that she wouldn't try to leave again, Gaara released her from his sand. "Your mission still stands," he stated. "As soon as you're strong enough to travel, you're going to Konoha."

"Hell no!" She sat up once more, outraged. "Kaho is missing! I'm not leaving the village until she's been found! Even then, you're their target, I can't just-"

"That's why you need to go," he interrupted. "If I had sent you two away sooner, then…" He took a breath. "I can't have them coming after you again." As his pale eyes focused on her own watery orbs, she could see the pleading within them. Her shoulders fell.

"Gaara, please…" He pulled her into as close a hug as he could manage while she was sitting up in the bed, stroking her head and burying his face in her hair. She quickly threw her arms around him, breaking down into sobs of grief and frustration. He kissed the top of her head, holding her for as long as she need to settle herself down. Several long moments passed before he spoke.

"I know I'm asking a lot of you, but this is the best course of action for everyone right now," he explained gently. He pulled away, still holding her by the shoulders. She took several deep shuddering breaths and wiped her face, nodding. "I'm going to go join the search. We won't stop until she's found. While I'm gone, I need you to listen to the nurses and stay put." He brought his lips to hers in a deep, loving kiss before turning and heading for the door. He stopped. "We will find her Mayako. I won't let them get away with taking my daughter." With that promise made, he left, closing the door behind him. Now alone in the hospital room, Mayako let out a long, forlorn sigh. She felt nothing but the despair that ate away at her heart. She had failed to protect Kaho, and she didn't know that she could ever forgive herself for that. She lifted her shirt to examine her small wound. Though she felt no pain from it, the cut on her left side was inflamed and discolored. She couldn't believe she had been so naive. Had she considered their poison, she wouldn't have used so much energy trying to fight opponents that weren't fighting back. Perhaps she could have stood longer, allowing someone to find them and get help. Maybe she should have just grabbed Kaho and run. So many what ifs whirled through her mind, so many better choices she could have made.

"Damnit…" she hissed. She hated sitting back and doing nothing, especially now. Just the thought of Kaho, alone with those women, frightened and helpless, made her blood boil. There was no way she could sleep, so all she could do was sit and wallow in her failure. This was something she refused to do, so she would simply have to go against Gaara's wishes.

* * *

The desert was still, the sand glistening under the moon's glow, mirroring the stars above. Gaara stood alone, unphased by the cold night. He had been searching for hours, and was no nearer to finding Kaho. He knew dawn would be breaking soon, but he simply couldn't give up. Currently, he was using his third eye ability to gain a wider aerial view, but all he could was sand for miles. He knew at this point he was scouring aimlessly, but without more intel on the enemies, there was little else he could do. He let out a frustrated huff. Though he wanted to continue searching, he decided it would be best to return to Mayako for a couple of hours before continuing on. Just as he was about to release his third eye, he caught sight of a figure in the distance traveling in the direction of the village. He leapt onto a small cloud of sand and hurried in the direction of the lone traveler. As he neared the person, his eyes widened. He knew exactly who it was. He dropped down in front of her, causing her to stop in her tracks. She glared at him with stone cold grey eyes, several strands of black hair falling in her face.

"What are you doing here, Harue?" he demanded.

"I have to ask you the same thing. What is the Kazekage doing in the middle of the desert at this time of night?" she questioned. His eyes narrowed as she sneered at him. When he refused to answer her, she scoffed. "Nevermind that, I need to see my daughter."


End file.
